Sufficient lands for Athy economic development, say council

Kildare County Council has identified that there is currently 38.13 hectares (94 acres) of land zoned for industry, warehousing and retail in the Athy Local Area Plan (LAP), which has the potential to deliver between 133,000sqm and 190,000sqm of new development.

A motion tabled by cllr Brian Dooley at a recent Athy Municipal District meeting prompted renewed discussion around the zoning of lands for industrial, warehousing, and retail use in the town.

Cllr Dooley called on the council to review the Athy Local Area Plan (LAP) 2021–2027 in light of the town’s growing population, with a view to potentially increasing the amount of land zoned for employment purposes such as industry, warehousing, and retail.

In response, a report issued by Amy Granville, senior planner, stated that there is currently 38.13 hectares of undeveloped land zoned for industry and warehousing within the existing plan.

These lands are dispersed across five different locations around Athy, offering both choice and variety for potential developers.

The report also highlighted available sites within the town centre that are suitable for additional retail development. These locations are considered strategic in reinforcing the town’s retail offering and avoiding the negative impact that out-of-town retail expansion could have on the town centre's commercial viability.

The LAP had projected the need for 54.9 hectares of undeveloped land to be zoned for employment over the plan's lifespan.

This projection strictly applies to industrial, warehousing, and commercial uses and does not account for job creation in other zoning categories such as retail, town centre, or leisure-related areas.

Based on current figures and the strategic availability of development-ready sites, the planning department concluded that no changes to the LAP are currently necessary.

Cllr Dooley said: “What I want to highlight is what is already there, to highlight that there is sufficient lands in Athy where we could house industry.” 

Cllr Vera-Louise Behan seconded the motion and added: “Industry is growing and its wonderful to see things like this moving forward.”